Information processing apparatus, printing apparatus and system, methods of controlling same, and program for said methods

Abstract

Based upon a designated printing mode of a printer, a raster-data creation unit or a direct-data (or column-data) creation unit creates raster data, which corresponds to a print raster, or direct (or column) data, which corresponds to nozzles used on the printhead of a printer, as print data delivered to the printer. The print data created is transmitted to the printer from a transmitting unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       creating means for creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a designated printing mode of the printing apparatus; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been created by said creating means, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein printing modes include a high-speed printing mode and a low-speed printing mode, and 
       said creating means creates the raster data if the high-speed printing mode has been designated and the column data if the low-speed printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the print data includes a data flag indicative of the raster data or column data. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein printing modes include a high-quality printing mode and a low-quality printing mode, and 
       said creating means creates the raster data if the low-quality printing mode has been designated and the column data if the high-quality printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein printing modes include a high-resolution printing mode and a low-resolution printing mode, and 
       said creating means creates the raster data if the low-resolution printing mode has been designated and the column data if the high-resolution printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said creating means creates the print data, which is either the raster data or column data, on a per-page or per-job basis of images to be printed. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising converting means for subjecting the print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon the designated printing mode of the printing apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein printing modes include a high-speed printing mode and a low-speed printing mode, and 
       said converting means subjects the print data to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion if the high-speed printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       9. An information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       creating means for creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction use on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of said information processing apparatus; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been created by said creating means, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the processing capability is an operating clock frequency of a CPU within said information processing apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said creating means creates the column data if the operating clock frequency of the CPU of said information processing apparatus is equal to or greater than a first predetermined clock frequency. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising converting means for subjecting the print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon the processing capability of said information processing apparatus. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein if the operating clock frequency of the CPU of said information processing apparatus is equal to or greater than a second predetermined clock frequency, said converting means subjects the print data, which has been created by said creating means, to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion. 
     
     
       14. A printing apparatus for forming an image using a printhead, which has a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, based upon print data output from an information processing apparatus, comprising: 
       receiving means for receiving raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of said printing apparatus, as print data from the information processing apparatus;  
       determination means for determining whether the print data is raster data or column data; and  
       printing means for performing printing based upon multipass data, which is obtained by applying multipass processing to the raster data, if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is raster data, and performing printing based upon the column data if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is column data.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the print data includes a horizontal-to-vertical conversion flag indicating whether a horizontal-to-vertical conversion has been executed, and said apparatus further comprises: 
       converting means for subjecting the print data, which has been received by said receiving means, to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon absence or presence of the horizontal-to-vertical conversion flag.  
     
     
       16. A printing system comprising a printing apparatus for forming an image using a printhead, which has a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, and an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to said printing apparatus, wherein said information processing apparatus comprises: 
       creating means for creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of said printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a designated printing mode of said printing apparatus; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been created by said creating means, to said printing apparatus; and  
       said printing apparatus comprising:  
       receiving means for receiving the print data from said information processing apparatus;  
       determination means for determining whether the print data is raster data or column data; and  
       printing means for performing printing based upon multipass data, which is obtained by applying multipass processing to the raster data, if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is raster data, and performing printing based upon the column data if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is column data.  
     
     
       17. A printing system comprising a printing apparatus for forming an image using a printhead, which has a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, and an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to said printing apparatus, wherein said information processing apparatus comprises: 
       creating means for creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of said printing apparatus, as print data delivered to said printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of said information processing apparatus; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been created by said creating means, to said printing apparatus; and  
       said printing apparatus comprises:  
       receiving means for receiving the print data from said information processing apparatus;  
       determination means for determining whether the print data is raster data or column data; and  
       printing means for performing printing based upon multipass data, which is obtained by applying multipass processing to the raster data, if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is raster data, and performing printing based upon the column data if the determination made by said determination means is that the print data is column data.  
     
     
       18. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a designated printing mode of the printing apparatus; and  
       a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been created at said creating step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein printing modes include a high-speed printing mode and a low-speed printing mode, and 
       said creating step creates the raster data if the high-speed printing mode has been designated and the column data if the low-speed printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein printing modes include a high-quality printing mode and a low-quality printing mode, and 
       said creating step creates the raster data if the low-quality printing mode has been designated and the column data if the high-quality printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein printing modes include a high-resolution printing mode and a low-resolution printing mode, and 
       said creating step creates the raster data if the low-resolution printing mode has been designated and the column data if the high-resolution printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said creating step creates the print data on a per-page or per-job basis of images to be printed. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the print data includes a data flag indicative of the raster data or column data. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising a converting step of subjecting the print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon the designated printing mode of the printing apparatus. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 24 , wherein printing modes include a high-speed printing mode and a low-speed printing mode, and 
       said converting step subjects the print data to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion if the high-speed printing mode has been designated.  
     
     
       26. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus; and  
       a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been created at said creating step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       27. A method of controlling a printing apparatus for forming an image using a printhead, which has a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, based upon print data output from an information processing apparatus, comprising: 
       a receiving step of receiving raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data from the information processing apparatus;  
       a determination step of determining whether the print data is raster data or column data; and  
       a printing step of performing printing based upon multipass data, which is obtained by applying multipass processing to the raster data, if the determination made at said determination step is that the print data is raster data, and performing printing based upon the column data if the determination made by said determination step is that the print data is column data.  
     
     
       28. The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the print data includes a horizontal-to-vertical conversion flag indicating whether a horizontal-to-vertical conversion has been executed, and said method further comprises: 
       a converting step of subjecting the print data, which has been received at said receiving step, to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon absence or presence of the horizontal-to-vertical conversion flag.  
     
     
       29. A program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, said program comprising: 
       program code of a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a designated printing mode of the printing apparatus; and  
       program code of a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been created at said creating step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       30. A program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, said program comprising: 
       program code of a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus; and  
       program code of a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been created at said creating step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       31. A program for causing a computer to control a printing apparatus for forming an image using a printhead, which has a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, based upon print data output from an information processing apparatus, said program comprising: 
       program code of a receiving step of receiving raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data from the information processing apparatus;  
       program code of a determination step of determining whether the print data is raster data or column data; and  
       program code of a printing step of performing printing based upon multipass data, which is obtained by applying multipass processing to the raster data, if the determination made at said determination step is that the print data is raster data, and performing printing based upon the column data if the determination made at said determination step is that the print data is column data.  
     
     
       32. An information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       horizontal-to-vertical converting means for subjecting print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon a processing capability of said information processing apparatus; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion by said horizontal-to-vertical converting means, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       33. An information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       creating means for creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of said information processing apparatus;  
       horizontal-to-vertical converting means for subjecting print data, which has been created by creating means, to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion; and  
       transmitting means for transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion by said horizontal-to-vertical converting means, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       34. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       a horizontal-to-vertical converting step of subjecting print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus; and  
       a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion at said horizontal-to-vertical converting step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       35. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, comprising: 
       a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus;  
       a horizontal-to-vertical converting step of subjecting print data, which has been created at said creating step, to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion; and  
       a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion at said horizontal-to-vertical converting step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       36. A program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, said program comprising: 
       program code of a horizontal-to-vertical converting step of subjecting print data to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus; and  
       program code of a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion at said horizontal-to-vertical converting step, to the printing apparatus.  
     
     
       37. A program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for outputting print data to a printing apparatus that forms an image using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles disposed in a sub-scan direction, said program comprising: 
       program code of a creating step of creating either raster data corresponding to a print raster or column data corresponding to nozzles in the sub-scan direction used on the printhead of the printing apparatus, as print data delivered to the printing apparatus, based upon a processing capability of the information processing apparatus;  
       program code of a horizontal-to-vertical converting step of subjecting print data, which has been created at said creating step, to a horizontal-to-vertical conversion; and  
       program code of a transmitting step of transmitting the print data, which has been subjected to the horizontal-to-vertical conversion at said horizontal-to-vertical converting step, to the printing apparatus.